Tool for installing mechanical connectors on high voltage lines



30, 1956 v. w. SPEARS TOOL FOR INSTALLING MECHANICAL CONNECTORS 0N HIGH VOLTAGE LINES Filed July 14, 1955 IN V EN TOR. Vezm/v W. SPAWRJ.

United States Patent TOOL FOR INSTALLING MECHANICAL CON- NECTORS ON HIGH VOLTAGE LINES Verian W. Spears, Scottsburg, Ind.

Application July 14, 1955, Serial No. 522,146

4 Claims. c1. s1 s3 This invention relates to a tool for installing mechanical connectors on high voltage lines, and more particularly to a connector tool used to install or remove split bolts and jumpers on or from energized lines.

Heretofore, in connection with such installations it has been customary either (1) to de-energize the line thereby temporarily taking it out of service, or (2) use very expensive hot-line clamps. Neither method is satisfactory. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a tool that is not only inexpensive and lightweight but also is so constructed and arranged as to make possible the installation of such connectors without interrupting the service of the lines.

It has also been an unfortunate characteristic of the conventional tools heretofore used in this field that they have frequently bent the conductors. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a tool that will eliminate this danger.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a tool that will be more efiicient than conventional ones by making better and tighter connections.

The present invention also has as an object the provision of a tool that combines necessary safety features with economy of manufacture, purchase, operation and such limited repair as may in time become necessary. These characteristics are achieved by the fabrication of a tool having a minimum number of parts that are in expensive in price and yet earmarked by quality and efliciency of performance.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a split bolt holder that not only will accommodate different sized bolts but will also retain them in the desired position as long as necessary and then readily release them once the wire or jumper has been connected to the main line.

As a still further object, the present invention has the provision of a nut holder that not only is detachable to permit the substitution of a holder of a different sized nut, but as well is operable to thread the nut on or to remove it from the connector in a new and different manner.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide new and improved means for holding the jumper wire during the installation of the connector.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the upper end of the invention with portions thereof being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view of that portion of the invention shown in Fig. 2, taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings an elongated insulator pole 10 is provided, it preferably being formed of spruce or other suitable Wood. The pole is formed in such proportions that it may readily be gripped or clasped by the hand of the worker while the invention is being hung on a line.

Running substantially parallel to the above-mentioned pole is a second elongated pole 11 that is preferably formed of the same substance and in similar proportions. The two poles are connected by the collars 12 and 12a adjacent their lower extremities and by the collars 13 and 13a adjacent their upper ends. Any stout and yet light metal alloy is satisfactory for these collars such by way of example as aluminum.

As shown in Fig. l, collar 12a extends downwardly a slight distance below the lowermost end portion of its adjacent collar 12. Formed in this downwardly extending portion are a plurality of circumferentially or armately spaced openings 14. Projecting into any selected opening is the pin 15 that is slidably mounted in the tubular handle 16. The pin may extend the entire length of the handle and therebeyond. v

A mid portion of the above identified pin is reduced in diameter so as to accommodate thereabout the spring 17 mounted within the handle. The spring normally biases the pin into any of the selected openings. For example, it may be desirable in connection with a particular installation job for the handle 16 to be extending from a particular sector or quadrant of they collar 12a.

By providing the extensible pin and spring arrangement within the tubular handle it is possible for the operator by pulling outwardly on the end 18 of the pin to retract the spring, remove the opposite end of the pin from its accommodating opening and then turn the handle to the point where the pin will be in alignment'with the desired opening. At such time the user can release pulled-out end 18 of the pin whereupon the spring will force portion 15 thereof into the adjacent, aligned opening.

The handle can thus be adjusted with ease to different quadrants of the collar, i. e. of the invention in its entirety. It will be observed also from Fig. 1 that the handle terminates in collar 19 which itself is rotatably disposed about collar 12a.

Connected to pole 11 adjacent its upper end through the medium of the screws 20 or other securing means is the collar 21 from which extends a narrowed or reduced rod 22, this rod extending through collar 13a as shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the rod carries a detachable wrench socket 23 for reception of a nut 24. Difierent sized sockets will be available for the reception of the different sized nuts that may be necessary for the particular installation job. The elevating or lowering of the socket is effected simply by the operator lifting up on or permitting to fall by gravity, the pole 11 and/or the rod 22. Since the pole 11 is slidably mounted in collar 12a and rod 22 in collar 13a the height adjustment of the socket is easy to accomplish.

In order to make possible the easy rotation of pole 11, rod 22 secured thereto, and wrench socket 23 there is provided the ratchet 25 having hand grip knob 26. This ratchet operates in a conventional manner to rotate the wrench socket and more particularly the nut there- P atented Oct. 30, 1956.

within. It is in this manner that the nut is threaded upon or removed from the split bolt connector 28.

Preferably formed integral with the collar 13a is the element 29 which is offset to provide space 30 within which the rod 22 and the wrench socket are freely movable. The upper extremity of this element terminates in a socket or open-ended shell 31 having a pair of flat springs 32. Each spring is secured to the socket at one of its ends 33 while the other end carries a pin 34 that is normally urged inwardly through an aperture formed in the socket.

Removably mounted within the open ended, tubular socket 31 is the head shown generally at 35. This head consists of a circular flange portion 36 that normally rests upon and engages the upper peripheral edge of socket 31. Depending from the flange is the skirt 37 which has an outside diameter that is but slightly less than the inside diameter of the socket. Extending upwardly from the flange is a member 38. To the sides of this member are secured through the medium of the screws or the like 39 the flat springs 40 which extend downwardly through openings formed in the flange to a point therebelow. The lower extremities of these springs are normally biased inwardly as shown particularly in Fig. 3 so that they tightly embrace and retain so long as desired the split bolt connectors. As is apparent, because of this construction and arrangement diiTerent sized connectors may be supported or retained in the head.

Mounted upon the upper face of element 38 and connected thereto through the medium of screws or the like 41 is the generally U-shaped portion 42. Superimposed upon the upper face of the bottom arm of this hood portion is the jumper clip 43. Formed in outwardly extending flange portions 44 of the clip are the re-entrant portions or slots 45 for reception therewithin of the jumper line or wire 46. As will be observed particularly by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, both the jumper wire and the main line 47 extend through the slot in the split bolt.

In operation the electrician will first weave his jumper wire through the superstructure in the form of the hooded clip and extend it down through the slot 48 formed in socket 31 and slot 49 formed in head 35, and from thence through the slot formed in the split bolt connector. Since slots 48 and 49 are formed in diametrically opposite portions of the socket and the head respectively the jumper wire can be extended outwardly through the opposite slots to those through which it entered.

At such time the tool may be associated with the main line 47. This is, of course, done at a time when the wrench socket 23 is spaced vertically below the socket 31 and head 35, i. e. at a time when it is in a position similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. Once the tool is being supported by the main line, the operator can then remove his hand from pole and can grip handle 16 after adjusting it to the desired quadrant.

While holding the handle 16 he can operate ratchet handle as a result of which rod 22 and the wrench socket 23 supported at the upper extremity thereof will be rotated upwardly until the nut accommodated within the socket engages the threaded shank of the split bolt connector. Further oscillation of the ratchet handle threads the nut upon the bolt. When this operation is completed the head can be removed from its socket by pulling outwardly on flat springs 32 and thereby removing pins 34 from the apertures in the head. After this the bottom portion of the tool can be removed, whereupon the connector will be left firmly connecting the jumper and the main line.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustratve and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has, been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool for installing mechanical connectors on high voltage lines comprising an elongated hand grip member, a rod associated with said member and manually movable vertically relative thereto, said rod carrying a detachable socket at its upper end for reception of a nut, said member having an open-ended shell formed at its upper end coaxial with said detachable socket and including a pair of opposed line receiving slots, a cup-shaped head detachably associated with said shell and including a pair of slots in register with the slots of said shell, means carried by said head for clamping a split bolt connector in a position coaxial with the nut in said socket, and means for rotating said rod as it is manually moved upwardly or downwardly relative to said head and shell for threading a nut upon or removing it from said connector.

2. A tool for installing mechanical connectors on high voltage lines comprising an elongated insulated hand grip member including an offset collar connected thereto adjacent its upper end, a second elongated member as sociated with said first member and having an upper portion mounted within said collar and movable vertically relative thereto, a detachable socket for reception of a split bolt connector nut carried by the upper end of said portion, an extension formed upon said collar and including an open-ended shell formed at its upper end and having a pair of high voltage line receiving slots, said shell being coaxial with said socket, a cup-shaped head detachably associated with said shell and having a pair of slots, resilient means carried by said head for clamping a split bolt connector in a position coaxial with the nut in said socket, and means associated with said second member for rotating it and said socket as said second member is manually moved upwardly or downwardly relative to said head and shell for threading the nut upon or removing it from said connector.

3. A tool for installing mechanical connectors on high voltage lines comprising an elongated insulated hand grip member including an offset collar connected thereto adjacent its upper end, a second elongated member associated with said first member and extending substantially parallel therewith, said second member including an upper portion slidably mounted within said collar, a detachable socket for reception of a split bolt connector nut mounted on the upper end of said portion, an oflset extension formed on said collar and including an openended shell at its upper end coaxial with said socket and having a pair of high voltage line receiving slots, spring means including pins mounted on said shell a cupshaped apertured head detachably associated with said shell and including a pair of line receiving slots registrable with said first pair of slots, the pins of said spring means extending through the apertures of said head resilient means carried by said head for clamping a split bolt connector in a position axial with the nut in said socket, said head having a substantially U-shaped superstructure mounted thereabove for reception of a section of jumper wire and the like to be connected to the main high voltage line, and means mounted in said second member for rotating said portion and said socket as said second member is manually moved upwardly or downwardly relative to said head and shell for threading a nut upon or removing it from said connector.

4. A tool for installing mechanical connectors on high voltage lines comprising an elongated insulated hand grip member, an element associated with said member and manually movable vertically relative thereto, said element carrying a detachable socket for reception of a nut for a split bolt connector, said member having an open-ended shell formed at its upper end including a pair of high voltage line receiving slots, spring means including pins mounted on said shell a cup-shaped apertil? tured head detachably associated with said shell and having a pair of line receiving slots registrable with said first mentioned pair of slots, the pins of said spring means extending through the apertures of said head resilient means carried by said head for clamping a connector in a position coaxial with the nut in said socket, said head having an overhanging U-shaped superstructure for supporting a section of jumper wire to be connected to a high voltage line, said superstructure including a pair of slots formed at its opposite ends and having a hood portion extending transversely over a medial portion of its length, and means for rotating said element and said socket as they are manually moved upwardly or downwardly relative to said head and shell for threading a nut upon or removing it from said connector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

